It is hard to imagine why these particular nine stories were chosen to record together; while they are unquestionably "classic," there seems very little relation among them. Nor are they particularly representative; five of the nine are authored by O. Henry (one of which is referred to throughout as "The Retrieved Information," not, correctly, as "The Retrieved Reformation"). The other authors featured are Stephen Crane (The Veteran), Ambrose Bierce (An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge), Mark Twain (The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County), and Jack London (Brown Wolf). Each story is introduced and concludes with a beautiful fragment of classical music, unnecessary but very pleasant. William Roberts as narrator is excellent, with a voice full of drama, expression, and variety, bringing a great deal to these familiar tales. Most audio collections should have a good representation of short stories, and this would be a worthwhile addition. Harriet Edwards, East Meadow P.L., NY Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Gr 8 Up-Nine classic stories by five late 19th and early 20th century American writers are offered in a well-produced package. William Roberts reads with clarity and emotion, accomplishing a range of voices for these character-driven stories, and bringing to life a young boy, a querulous old man, and even the few women who appear in these tales. The production quality is excellent. With the exception of Mark Twain's "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calavaras County," the unifying theme among the selections is one of suspense, often to the point of edge of the seat tension. Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," recounts the hanging of a Confederate sympathizer during the American Civil War. Stephen Crane's "The Veteran" takes place a few years later and features a man who survived that war, in spite of his fearfulness, and now demonstrates his real bravery on a firey night when horses must be rescued from a burning barn. The five stories selected to demonstrate the surprising twists to events for which O. Henry made his name include "After Twenty Years," "A Retrieved Information," "While the Auto Waits," "The Last Leaf," and "Makes the Whole World Kin." The autobiographical "Brown Wolf," by Jack London, bespeaks of the human attachment to the dog and the dog's reciprocal attachment. While the age of these stories mean that their styles are more ponderous than those of some popular contemporary writers, students will have no trouble understanding and picturing the events these authors weave. The range of characters, while mostly male, is socially broad, including several outlaws.-Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.